Santa Vittoria in Matenano

A Brief History

Santa Vittoria in Matenano was founded in the 9th century by monks from the abbey of Farfa in Sabina. In 934, largely thanks to the abbott Raffredo, the body of the Roman martyr, Vittoria, was moved from Sabina to the town. Santa Vittoria in Matenano helped strengthen the Monks economically, and in the 12th century the town became the presiding seat of Farfa with its own authority over most of the present provinces of Ascoli and Macerata.

There are remnants of this earlier age in the buildings of Santa Vittoria, such as the Palazzo del Comune, the Benedictine monastery and the churches of Sant’Agostino and Santa Vittoria renovated since this earlier period with Gothic structures added to the previous Romanesque building. Ponte Maglio derives its name from the maul, or maglio, that was used to work the copper along the Aso river.

By the 14th century Santa Vittoria’s position as the presiding seat was gradually removed and the properties vacated after this shift of importance formed the endowment of bishops and cardinals, a good example are those belonging to the Barberini family. Nowadays, Santa Vittoria remains an urban centre of remarkable interest, however, the memories of its glorious past fill the pages of Literature and the canvasses of art.

Places to Visit

Today, the village is focussed on the eastern side, around the peak of Monte Matenano, exactly where the monastery of Farfa, and an ancient castle once rose; both were destroyed during the age of Napoleon.

When you come in to the village through the arch of the abbot Odorisio’s tower, the best route to explore the city is through its narrow, winding streets, starting up Corso Matteotti. This allows you to pass through the alleys and gardens that have changed little since the middle ages. Abbott Odorisio’s tower was built between 1235 and 1238, it was, and still is, the most significant monument in the town. If you follow Corso Matteotti up to the tower, just to the right are the ruins of the ancient Palazzo Comunale’s Gothic arch and the ‘Lion Rampant’ coat of arms of Santa Vittoria.

The Teatro del Leone (The Theatre of the Lion) was built during the last century on an old section of the old palazzo del commune. The theatre holds dances, festivals and performances.

Other sites of interest are the Palazzo Monti, the graceful Palazzo Melis and the Palazzo della Torre, all of which overlook the main street. A steep slope named the Ponte Conti Della Torre begins just underneath the old arch of the Palazzo Della Torre, and just in front of this is the church of San’Agostino, rebuilt in the 16th century from the mediaeval and Renaissance remains. A former Augustinian monastery is located nearby, and the 15th century cloister is the seat of the town hall. A large number of parchments dating back to 1212, council proceedings from 1481-1799 and a copy of the constitution are all kept in the archives there.

Walking along via Roma from the abbot’s tower one can reach the top of the town, on the right is the Benedictine monastery, which we have records of since 990. the church and the 17th century walls have Gothic inscriptions of the names of those who have aided the rebuilding of the monastery over the years. Inside there is a 15th century fresco of the Madonna del Latte (Our Lady of Milk).

Close to the residential houses of the town is the parish temple of Santa Vittoria, built between 1741 and 1815 it houses the urn containing the remains of Vittoria in the crypt. On the top of Matenano, where the vista takes in the Adriatic sea, the Sibillini and Abruzzo mountains, there is the remains of the Farfa monastery and church, this enigmatic place is known as ‘il Cappellone’. Through the church one can reach the oratory of Farfa, or Cappella degli Innocenti, The Chapel of Innocents, which has preserved some marvellous frescoes by Brother Marino Angeli from the 15th century. Finally, no trip to Santa Vittoria would be complete without a visit to the church of Madonna degli Angeli, which lies just next to the famous Fonte del Latte, Milk Fountain.

Nature Routes

By the calanchi there is an interesting view of the cracks formed by crashing meteorites. Another stunning view is of the broom flowering by the rivers that flow through the region. The rivers are a focal point with many wonderful sections of the Aso and Tenna, while just a walk along the Ete reveals the scource of all this beauty. The Sibillini mountain National park is within easy reach Santa Vittoria, and here there are endless routes for fabulous scenery and challenging hiking. The easiest excursion in the park leads to Madonna dell’Ambro and Gola dell’Infernaccio.

Exhibitions and Folk Festivals

• 2nd Sunday of the month – village fair where you can buy traditional terracotta objects, baskets, animals, plants and food.
• 20th of June – festival of Santa Vittoria, focusing around the church where her urn is kept.
• July-August – festival of the trout (Ponte Maglio), includes art exhibitions, classical music concerts, food and handicraft market. The highlight, however, is the Canestrelle, which is an historical commemoration of country life involving late 1800’s costume.
• October – festival of the vintage.

You cannot leave Santa Vittoria without tasting some of its typical products and dishes: vincisgrassi, tagliatelle, polenta, pork, lamb, mutton, pecorino, olive oil and Ascoli’s fried, stuffed olives. The wines are delightful too the white, cotto (cooked) and Picenian red are all a fabulous addition to any of the dishes above.